Injuries to the acetabular labrum, a ring of cartilage that surrounds the actebulum, or hip joint, are common. Acetabular labrum injuries may be caused by femoral impingement, such as cam or pincer lesions, hip disclocation, or dysplasia.
When the acetabular labrum is damaged beyond repair, surgeons commonly practice labral resection. More recently, some surgeons have attempted to reconstruct the damaged acetabular labrum with substitute tissue. Prior attempts at labral reconstruction have utilized techniques and materials similar to those which are known for use in ACL repair. However, the ACL has neither the triangular cross-sectional shape nor the mechanical properties of the acetabular labrum, which is formed of cartilage. For this and other reasons, prior attempts at reconstructing the acetabular labrum have not yielded satisfactory results.